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Wednesday, 27 November 2013

PEOPLE PROFILES: JEANNETE MUSEMBI

Today I was very excited to interview a very lovely lady
Jeannete Musembi. Save the fact that we have the same name ;) , She is the
editor of Eatout Kenya. This is the first of many interviews and here is what
she had to say…

Who is Jeanette
Musembi?

Wow I’ve never seriously thought about this before… let’s
see. At the expense of not being poetic about it, Jeannette is first a foodie
by nature.I’m a true realist who
believes in taking it one day at a time and most importantly, loyal a fan of
the simple things in life. Like sunrises and ice tea on a hot day.

You are the editor of
eat out Kenya? What prompted you to start this site? What advice do you give to
writers or bloggers out there?

Yes I am currently the editor of EatOut Kenya. I didn’t
start the site though. My boss Mikul Shah did after he came back from London
and found out that most Kenyans did not have an idea of places to eat. It’s a
wonderful idea that has grown and shown that Kenyans do after all, eat out.My advice would definitely be to follow your
passion. If you’re a blogger or writer starting out, believe in your talent and
skill; use it to your best ability and find ways to improve it. The results are
unimaginable!

What do you think
about people’s views towards wine in Kenya?

As much as it may be hard to believe, Kenyans are well
versed with wine. It is a trend that many are embracing today because of the
exposure they have experienced at work, school or travel. Wine shops are
popping in and around the major cities to cater to the growing interest- this
is a sure sign that we are definitely heading in the right direction.

What is the best food
you have had in a restaurant?

Tough question! Because of the nature of my work, I get to
sample many types of cuisines, some very memorable. But my best would have to be
Talisman restaurant’s smoked tilapia fish with a side of hand cut fries and
tartar sauce. It’s a fresh, painfully simple dish yet so full of flavor because
the chef cooks it on a plank of Leleshwa wood. Divine!

I think I am still trying to achieve a ‘severely’ major one
but I would have to say working at EatOut has been one.I never imagined I would work as an editor
for such a dynamic company!

Do you think Kenyans
need to embrace wine drinking and wine tasting?

It is a fun experience to indulge and learn about wine, and
if your palate allows it then, why not? Otherwise I think that everyone should
drink whatever he or she is comfortable with.

What do you think is
the future for this industry in Kenya?

With the current ‘awareness’ trend in the market on food and drink, I definitely think we are on the right
track. The future looks bright and I’m looking forward to seeing new
developments!

In your opinion is there
a difference between a wine/whiskey enthusiast and an alcoholic?

YES! An alcoholic person mostly drinks to get inebriated and
there’s no much point to their consumption. Most of the time they are not even
aware of what they are having. But an enthusiast drinks to learn, experience
and savor. They are aware of their surroundings and use the opportunity to find
out more about their likes and dislikes.

Well it was great to meet other players in the food&wine industry. you can check out her writing here https://www.facebook.com/eatoutkenya and here http://www.yummy.co.ke